Tuesday, February 23, 2010

My rating: 5 of 5 starsGretchen Rubin has come to the realization that she is not focusing on the things in life that really matter. While riding the city bus one day she looks out the window to see a woman about her age trying to balance an umbrella and look at her cell phone, while pushing a stroller and carrying a child. The sight of it gave her a jolt. She saw herself, riding the same crosstown bus everyday, back and forth; "This is my life-but I never give any thought to it." She realized she was suffering from a mid-life malaise; although she lived a very fortunate life, something was still missing. As she states early in the book, she had everything she could possibly want, but failed to appreciate it. Like most of us, she was caught up in the day to day routine of life. We just go through each day and fail to realize the things that really matter in life. The more she thought about this, she realized she needed a better perspective; she needed to be more grateful for just an ordinary day. That's when she decided she would start a happiness project.

Rubin creates a list of twelve resolutions to focus on each month known as her Twelve Commandments, she lists what she believes to be some of the secrets of adulthood, and along the way discovers what she calls Four Splendid Truths. She reads countless books on the subject of happiness from the likes of the Dalai Lama, Martin Seligman, Aristotle, Elizabeth Gilbert, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Johnson and many others. She studies a great deal of scientific research, tries meditation, begins a strength training exercise program, studies various spiritual leaders and their philosophies, tries journaling and many other ideas in the pursuit of a happier life.

It is obvious Rubin is very passionate about this project. At times maybe a bit too analytical, however, I found the book to be very enlightening and I really did enjoy it. While reading The Happiness Project, I was inspired by much of the wisdom she shared from various books she read on the subject; I have added several of the books to my personal book list. I think anything book that promotes the pursuit of a happier, more fulfilled life is worth reading.